♪ this is "world news." tonight, immigration showdown. the sheriff who calls himself the toughest man in america on illegal immigration hit by the rath of the u.s. government. accusations of abuse and bigotry. end of mission. the flag in iraq folded. martha raddatz takes us along for a last ride. and what did the leaders say to her as they leave the battlefield? what's fair? the president tells barbara walters what he thinks about the question of fidelity for a presidential candidate. tiny triumph. a baby born, no bigger than the palm of her mother's hand. what on earth did doctors do to take her from this to this. big news today. and parking like a pro. as we all hit the mall for last-minute christmas shopping, we'll crack the code.

how you beat the other guys to the best parking spot. good evening. tonight, one of the hottest issues in this country just got a lot hotter. the man who has become a national symbol of getting tough on illegal immigration, the sheriff who calls himself the toughest sheriff in the country, was slammed today by the full force of the u.s. government, which said his office deployed abuse, retaliation and discrimination against hispanics. all of it adding to the inflamed debate, is sheriff joe arpaio a champion or a bully? abc's pierre thomas is here with what happened today. pierre? >> reporter: diane, as you said, the self-proclaimed toughest sheriff in america now finds himself in the cross-harps of the justice department. and it is all but accusing him of running a racist operation that the department says must be stopped.

>> i'm an equal opportunity law enforcement and incarser. >> reporter: blunt-talking. >> you do something wrong, you lose your privileges and you're punished to it. >> reporter: hero to hard liners across the country for his pursuit of illegal immigrants. >> i have a zero tolerance. >> reporter: old school. he made inmates wear stripes and pink socks and underwear. but today, following a three-year investigation, the justice department was blunt, claiming the maverick sheriff -- >> engages in a pattern or practice of unconstitutional policing. specifically, engages in racial profiling of latinos and unlawfully stops, detains and arrests latinos. >> reporter: federal prosecutors say in the sheriff's county, latino drivers are up to nine times more likely to be pulled over for a traffic stop. latino inmates who did not speak english were punished and denied access to medical care. and people opposed to the department's policies were frequently arrested and jaked for no reason. in one case, a latino man who

was a legal u.s. resident was locked up for 13 days for not having a driver's license. the sheriff's inmates have talked about abusive conditions for years. >> the food we eat is disgusting. it's more like a concentration camp. >> reporter: his response has always been the same. hogwa hogwash. >> we run a professional organization. i've been around 48 years. i'm not going to listen to all the garbage. i don't have a brutal regime. >> reporter: today, he remained defiant. tonight, he was defiant again, saying he will try to cooperate, but if the justice department soups, quote,ly see them in federal court. diane? >> bpierre thomas, thank you. and now, we at abc news this week have been marking a milestone, the official end of the u.s. mission in iraq after nearly nine years. and so many brave stroop troops, summoning the strength to do their job. early this morning, the command

flag was placed in a camouflage case, the symbol of end of mission. abc's martha raddatz who has been in iraq 21 times covering this war, took a final helicopter ride with the generals who sent the troops in. while, on the ground, a general's wife went for all the courage leading up to this day. tonight, martha takes us along on her ride. >> reporter: this morning, under gray skies, we joined general lloyd austin on his last helicopter ride as commander of u.s. is forces in iraq. >> we really do think we have helped move this forward. >> reporter: it was austin in 2003 who gave the order for the first u.s. troops to cross the border into iraq and austin, who formally ended the mission today. >> i was here when we originally secured this airfield. and i am blessed to have the opportunity to be here again as we return it to its rightful owner, the iraqi people. >> reporter: the challenges for the iraqis are enormous.

attacks are still frequent, charges of iraqi corruption, a constant. but today, the focus was on sacrifice, service and pride in what the u.s. military accomplished, even during its darkest days. >> every day required us to balance conflict and compassion. every step was a singular act of moral and physical courage. >> reporter: general dempsey was here in the beginning as well, he would be followed by a son and a daughter, who also served in the toughest of times. dempsey's wife today, speaking for so many families. >> when you kiss your husband good-bye, that's really difficult, but you kiss your son and your daughter good-bye and that pretty much rips the heart out of you. >> reporter: general dempsey lost more than 130 soldiers while he was here. he now keeps the names of each in a box on his pentagon desk that says "make it mbetter."

the u.s. did try to make it better for the iraqi people, but it will be a long, long time to know if it was worth the sacrifice. diane? >> thank you, martha raddatz. we want to note that as the iraqi troops come, 93,000 american forces are still in afghanistan tonight. and up next, the economy, and another strong sign that the u.s. economy may be turning around. the number of people applying for unemployment benefits dropped to its lowest level, 366,000, since before the recession. and abc's jim avila found a lot of people saying mark this datd. the comeback is for real. >> reporter: the smiling face of economic turnaround. >> i feel very happy. i can come into work, do a good job, make money and provide for my family. >> reporter: peter barnes, out of work for five months, has a new job at a startup small business in evanston, illinois.

part of a nationwide hiring boom with 1.6 million new jobs created in the past year and fueled by entrepreneurs like peter's new boss, mitch dulin. >> i feel confident that 2012 is going to be a growth year. >> the real action is the new business formation, and that's the backbone of job creation in the united states. what we call new business birth. >> reporter: a spike in hiring creating a long list of positive recovery signs. holiday spending expected to be up nearly 4%. consumer confidence up 15 points. so are car sales, up 14%. and even new home sales, up 10% in the past month. with mortgage rates at 3.5%, lowest in history. jobless claims down to a level not seen since before the financial crisis, hinting at another dip in unemployment. >> that will improve their confidence levels. that means they'll go out and continue to spend and that will prompt businesses to hire even more. >> reporter: a plus-side cycle jacked by shoppers out there spending. andrea bazinkai's list is 40%

longer this year. >> a lot to do with the economy getting a little better this year than it was last. >> reporter: and there's marie rodriguez, whose christmas purchases sound like a retailers dream. >> tvs, vcrs, blu-ray, dvds, and >> reporter: and the shoppers are out. you can see them right now behind me. they are filling the stores. but there are some things to worry about. icebergs, the economists call them. the biggest one? grid lock in washington. then there's the problems with the euro in europe. either of those could infact derail or stop the momentum that is definitely building now. diane? >> and jim avila is reporting from the christmas streets of new york tonight. thank you, jim. and now, an abc news exclusive, president obama, one-on-one with abc's barbara walters. and tonight, he is speaking out about the republicans in congress and those who would like to unseat him. he even tackles that delicate question, should american voters measure a candidate based on marital fidelity? >> reporter: we have never

seen -- that i can remember, a more divisive situation with you and the republicans in congress. is that a failure of your leadership or is that all them? >> you never want to say it's all them. but i do think that right now, at least, in the republican party, there are a couple of notions, number one, is that compromise is a dirty word. number two, anything that obama's for , we're against. so if i propose a health care bill that is full of republican ideas, in fact, is very similar to the law that was passed by the current republican fro front-runn front-runner, or one of the top front runners -- >> reporter: you just done him in, i think. >> well, the other guy was supportive of many of the ideas, as well, suddenly they become against it. >> reporter: this topic has come up recently in the republican debates. do you think that someone's

marriage or marriages should be part of the public debate? >> you know, i'm not big on people's personal lives being poked and prodded. but i think what the american people really care about is, you know, what kind of job can you do? >> and you can see barbara's full interview with the president and mrs. obama on a "20/20" holiday special december 23rd. and now, on politics, your voice, your vote, tonight, the republican front-runner newt gingrich encircled by the other candidates, leveling attacks on him, especially his record as speaker of the house. so, abc's jon karl decided to break down what is fact and what is fiction. >> keep up the good work. >> reporter: a big crowd turned out for newt gingrich today in ft. dodge, iowa. on the airwaves, he's running a new ad touting his record as speaker of the house. >> when i was speaker, our budget was balanced, and 11 million jobs were created. >> reporter: but gingrich now

finds himself under attack from the people who know him best. >> so help you god? >> i do. >> reporter: the republicans he led in congress. >> if you don't know him, you would actually think he could do a good job. but those that know him better know better. and if you knew newt then, you know he's going to lead us in all sorts of directions. he will be unfocused, undisciplined and self-centered. >> that's an enormous step in the right direction. >> reporter: gingrich helped sweep republicans into power in 1994 -- >> say if i could for a second, mr. president. >> reporter: and with bill clinton in the white house had real achievements, balanced budgets and welfare reform. but after less than four years, gingrich was one of the most unpopular political figures in america. republicans threw him out. part of the problem was his leadership style. "the new york daily news" called him a cry baby after he complained about the seat he got on air force one. many republicans say he cared more about himself than about conservative principles. consider this. gingrich came to power promising to eliminate government waste.

but under his leadership, old fashioned pork barrel spending skyrocketed. the number and cost of congressional pet projects, so-called earmarks, nearly doubled during his time as speaker. >> speaker gingrich set in motion the largest explosion of earmarks in the history of congress. >> reporter: the conservative national review lashed out this week at gingrich's record in congress, con dechling his, quote, "impulsiveness, his grad yosty, his weakness for half baked and conservative ideas." you can expect attacks on gingrich's record as speaker to be a big part of the campaign going forward. friends and advisers say he has changed. his style now much less prone to impelsiveness that got him into trouble. diane? >> all right, jon, thank you. and we knew it was coming, now it seems to be here. debris said to be from that devastating tsunami that struck japan in march, traveling 6,852 miles. now, the first arrivals, washing

up on the west coast. a black float turned up in washington state. and millions of tons of debris expected to foul local as far north as alaska, starting next year, even bits of houses, whole cars, appliances, floating from japan, all the way to america. and still ahead here on "world news," the tiny baby, weighing less than 10 ounces at birth, today, we learned the astonishing things doctors did to save her. the race to the oscars. a big boost for a silent movie and the surprise blockbuster, "the help." and, with shoppers packinging the stores, we crack the code. getting a parking space. how seven smart minutes could make your holiday. this was the gulf's best tourism season in years. all because so many people came to louisiana... they came to see us in florida... make that alabama...

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have fully working lungs or eyes, cannot digesf food. her skin so thin, it can't protect her from infection or cold. machines must do everything the womb is supposed to do, and these babies usually have just a 1% or 2% chance of survival, which is why melinda got a press conference today, on the day she was supposed to be born. >> she's a fighter, you know? no doubt about that. she's a fighter. >> reporter: doctors say melinda is lucky she's a girl. they drop faevelop faster in th. now, waking a healthy four pounds, doctors say melinda will be able to go home in just a few weeks. >> as soon as the next day come, the hope gets even higher, you look at her, she moves, every move she makes is a sign of life, you know, hey, i'm trying. >> reporter: melinda still faces hurdles as she grows up, but doctors tell us her vision and hearing are good and she's already starting to eat on her own. diane? >> astounding.

thank you, abbie boudreau. and still ahead, the race to the oscars ramping up tonight. an early boost for the movie "the help." and why everybody's talking about a silent movie. and chantix worked for me. it's a medication i could take and still smoke, while it built up in my system. [ male announcer ] along with support, chantix is proven to help people quit smoking. it reduces the urge to smoke. some people had changes in behavior, thinking or mood, hostility, agitation, depressed mood and suicidal thoughts or actions while taking or after stopping chantix. if you notice any of these, stop taking chantix and call your doctor right away. tell your doctor about any history of depression or other mental health problems, which could get worse while taking chantix. don't take chantix if you've had a serious allergic or skin reaction to it. if you develop these, stop taking chantix and see your doctor right away as some can be life-threatening. if you have a history of heart or blood vessel problems, tell your doctor if you have new or worse symptoms. get medical help right away if you have symptoms of a heart attack. use caution when driving or operating machinery. common side effects include nausea, trouble sleeping and unusual dreams.

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and uncouraging news today on auto safety. the insurance industry has just completed their crash tests and reported 115 models from year 2012 have received the top safety rating. toyota led all manufacturers with 15 top-rated vehicles. general motors was right behind with 14. and one reason for the improved safety, the car companies improved the strength of the vehicle roofs. there is a stunning scandal engulfing nfl star sam hurd tonight. the wide receiver for the chicago bears is in custody, accused of dealing drugs to other nfl players, up to $700,000 worth of cocaine and marijuana per week, though he has a million dollar contract himself. federal agents took him in after an undercover sting. if convicted, he could face up to 40 years in prison. as we said, the race to the oscars is under way, with nominations for the golden

globes today. two movies with five nomination, one of them, "the help," which is up for best drama. the other, the new movie "the descendants." and a silent film, "the artist," earned the most name nations, six, making it a contender to be the first silent movie to win an oscar for best picture since 1929. and in texas, near houston, two reindeer are safe tonight. santa need not worry. after they took an unscheduled trip, no doubt scouting a route for a christmas pageant. they were riding to a school in a trailer when a door opened. they escaped onto the highway. startled drivers called 11. >> there are two loose reindeer on the highway. >> there's two loose reindeer on the highway? >> yes, sir. i know that sounds funny, but they are. >> fortunately, the traffic was stop and go. the reindeer named comet and prancer were not hurt. call it a kind of christmas miracle. still ahead, the science of parking. shoppers packing the malls.

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and finally, it's the time of year when we all face the challenge of finding the perfect

last minute gift. but first, the challenge of finding a parking space. circumstance. ing a lot over and over is a dreaded ritual of theseason, but tonight, abc's matt gutman says he themes thinks he has c the code. >> reporter: with the upcoming weekend prime time for last minute shopping, tis the season for parking wars. >> hey! hey! you're stealing my space! >> reporter: drivers battling for the closest spot, any spot. >> no, no, no, no! that was my space. >> reporter: and everybody has their theory. you have a strategy? >> pray. >> reporter: parking projdyes say there are sure ways to beat the pain. after combing through hundreds of satellite images, a firm discovers spaces closest to the entrance fill up first. >> over time, it builds kind of a mountain shape. >> reporter: that means picking a spot closer to the end of the

bell curve equals less walking. another rule, critical. experts say park before you park. mathematical probability says during busy times, don't keep driving around. stop near a primo spot with 20 spaces in front of you. based on the numbers, it's almost certain you'll find an open spot in just a few minutes. if this strategy holds, we should be waiting about nine minutes for a space to open up. still waiting. the theory worked. victorious. this is the best spot in the entire mall! probably would have been easier had i just taken the bus. matt gutman, abc news, at the mall in florida. >> thank you, matt. and we thank you for watching. we are always on at abcnews.com. don't forget, "nightline" later. and we're going to leave you tonight with another scene of christmas. here's how it with the tree lit at ft. hood in texas, to welcome the soldiers coming home from iraq. and by the way, that's the first

calvary band playing. mighty fine there in ft. hood. a good night to all of you. [ female announcer ] more people are using wireless devices...

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